Written Answers

Thursday 6 April 2000

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of agricultural subsidies, processed by its Rural Affairs Department since 1 July 1999, have been paid within the timescale indicated by the department’s own efficiency guidelines, and whether it has any plans to increase this percentage.

Ross Finnie: My department has a requirement to make payments to farmers and crofters within mandatory targets and deadlines laid down in EU legislation. These are the targets and deadlines against which my department’s performance is measured and they are reflected in departmental reports.

  Under the 1999 Arable Area Payments Scheme the requirement is to pay 96.16% of claims for advance oilseeds, main scheme, non-food set-aside, and final oilseeds by 30 September, 31 December, 31 March and 13 May respectively. Currently, 97.95% of all AAPS claims received have been paid.

  Under the Livestock schemes the annual payment cycle runs from July to the following June and 96.16% of balance payments for the Beef Special and Suckler Cow schemes are due to be paid by 30 June, and all sheep scheme balance payments are to be paid by 15 October. Currently, 96.34% of advance payments under these schemes have been made.

  For the Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance, 90% of the total payments are to be made by 30 April and currently 82.3% have been paid.

  The percentages quoted above are expressed against all claims. Some outstanding claims will be invalid while others require clarification on eligibility.

  My department continually strives to improve its performance and will do so in the future.

Careers Service

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide a firm funding base for the provision of careers guidance for adults.

Henry McLeish: On 6 October 1999 I announced a review of the Careers Service with the remit: "To examine the role of the careers service in Scotland, and the scope for change and development of that role in the light of trends and initiatives in education, lifelong learning, and the labour market."

  The review committee was asked to specifically consider whether the Careers Service should cover advice to both young people and adults. The independently chaired committee is expected to report by the middle of 2000.

Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place within the Executive following the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s budget.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has agreed to allocate the new resources available to the Scottish budget and the Minister for Finance reported our conclusion to Parliament on 30 March 2000. Ministers are determined to improve services and secure maximum value for this additional investment.

Crofters Commission

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what has been decided in the light of the recent consultation on the Policy and Financial Management Review of the Crofters Commission.

Ross Finnie: The recent review identified the need for modernising the Commission’s constitutional arrangements, to meet new standards of public accountability, by converting the Commission into a modern NDPB or into an Agency. In the light of the balance of views expressed in the responses received, and following discussions with the Crofters Commission, I have concluded that the NDPB model is the appropriate one. When we have the opportunity we shall legislate to recast the Crofters Commission with a modernised board structure and its own staff and budget. There will be scope for existing staff to opt to keep their current civil service status and to remain in post on a secondment basis. These are technical changes that will not change the essential character of the Commission.

  The other issue was whether the Commission’s development functions should be integrated with other support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The consultation process has demonstrated a strong preference for maintaining separate specialist support for crofters, and accordingly I am content that these functions stay with the Commission. At the same time, however, I expect the Commission and HIE to work increasingly closely together.

Dounreay

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement regarding the options for managing Prototype Fast Reactor fuels at Dounreay.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive, together with the UK Government, is committed to dealing with the remaining liabilities at Dounreay safely and securely, in an environmentally acceptable manner, and in a way that represents value for money to the taxpayer. In order to achieve the long-term restoration of the site, a solution needs to be found to deal with the remaining fuels, including PFR fuels.

  As announced by Donald Dewar and John Battle in 1998, no new commercial reprocessing contracts have been sought by Dounreay since that date and this will continue to be the case.

  Following a comprehensive review of options for managing Dounreay PFR fuels, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has identified three options:

  the reprocessing or treatment of all PFR fuels at Dounreay;

  the transportation to Sellafield for reprocessing of the irradiated PFR fuels at the THORP plant and the treatment of unirradiated PFR fuels at Dounreay or elsewhere;

  the treatment of all PFR fuels for interim storage at Dounreay for an indefinite period or until a national waste repository is available.

  The UK Government has today launched a public consultation addressing the options for managing these fuels. The consultation will close on 2 June and the results will be made available to the public.

E-Commerce

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it will play in implementing the e-commerce initiatives agreed at the Lisbon EU Summit.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive will pursue key initiatives in the European and UK regulatory framework for e-commerce as proposed at the Lisbon summit. Through the National Grid for Learning programme, the Scottish Executive is already committed to connecting every school to the Internet, providing at least four modern computers for every class, and ensuring that teachers and pupils will have the ICT skills to make full use of them. Other direct actions for the Executive in implementing the conclusions of the summit include ensuring electronic access to those basic public services for which the Executive has responsibility. We will be reviewing this last initiative in light of the First Minister's announcement on Thursday 30 March that all devolved government services which can feasibly be delivered online should be available by 2005.

  The Scottish Executive will also have a role in promoting the development of high-speed telecommunications infrastructure, particularly in relation to higher and further education.

Enterprise

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last made representations to the Department of Trade and Industry and what was discussed.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Department of Trade and Industry about a wide range of issues.

European Convention on Human Rights

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the European Convention on Human Rights will have on local authority planning committees.

Sarah Boyack: In October 2000, provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998 will come into force that will make it unlawful for any public authority to act in a way that is incompatible with the ECHR.

European Convention on Human Rights

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to legislate on European Convention on Human Rights issues other than intrusive surveillance.

Mr Jim Wallace: Yes. I intend to bring forward a Bill to deal with various ECHR issues relating to bail, district courts and part-time sheriffs. The Bill will amend the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 by removing the present restrictions on the power of the sheriff to grant bail. It will therefore be a matter for the sheriff to determine whether to grant bail on the merits of the particular case. The Bill will also amend various aspects of the District Court (Scotland) Act 1975. In particular, it will prohibit the use of ex officio or other councillor justices in a judicial capacity, and introduce statutory security of tenure for Justices of the Peace in their judicial capacity. Finally, it will create a new judicial office of part-time sheriff with statutory terms and conditions to put their security of tenure beyond doubt.

Executive Accommodation

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected cost is, including materials, labour, furnishings and VAT, of the current refurbishment of St Andrew’s House and how this compares with the originally estimated cost of (a) a full refurbishment and (b) the minimum refurbishment required to upgrade St Andrew’s House to an acceptable standard.

Mr Jack McConnell: The projected cost for the refurbishment of St Andrew’s House is £20 million, in line with the original estimate for this work.

  Most of the major systems in the building date from the 1930s. They no longer meet modern standards and major remedial work was required to allow continued use of the building for the long term.

  A survey of the building prepared by independent consultants in 1994 suggested that a full refurbishment undertaken then would have cost £23 million. Consideration was given in 1998 to lesser and alternative refurbishment packages costing £13.2 million and £20 million. The less extensive of these covered essential repairs to the fabric of the building, removal of asbestos and a range of IT and electrical works. The additional work undertaken for the larger alternative, which has proceeded, includes a replacement of the windows, with consequential energy savings, and the range of construction works necessary to create a substantial amount of open plan space. This will lead to running cost savings once refurbishment is complete.

Executive Expenditure

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spent on external consultants in 1999.

Mr Jack McConnell: Expenditure by the Scottish Executive, plus its executive agencies and associated departments, (these include Scottish Agricultural Science Agency, Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency, Fisheries Research Services, Students Awards Agency for Scotland, Registers of Scotland, Historic Scotland, Scottish Prison Service, Scottish Courts, National Archives of Scotland, General Register Office for Scotland, Scottish Public Pensions Agency and the Crown Office) on external consultants from 1 July to 31 December 1999 is estimated as £1.4 million.

Farmers

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support farming families who have low or negative incomes.

Ross Finnie: Since last summer, the Executive has approved additional financial aid to Scottish farmers and crofters worth £110 million. This includes the £39 million package announced last week. That represents a substantial commitment to helping the agriculture industry through its current difficulties.

  Short-term aid is, however, only part of the solution and we must take steps, together with the industry, to tackle underlying structural problems. To aid that process, I am publishing an agricultural strategy discussion document today. I invite everyone with an interest in the future of this important industry to take part in that discussion.

Finance

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions since 1990 the ceiling on the Barnett Formula settlement reduced Treasury funding when taking European Structural Fund grants into account.

Mr Jack McConnell: The only limits on the operation of the Barnett formula are the population percentage employed and the changes in comparable programmes for England and Wales.

Finance

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to examine the effectiveness in value for money terms of the involvement of private sector finance companies in the procurement of public sector contracts and whether it will set guidelines on the length of time that public authorities are allowed to amortise leases.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive considers the best way of improving the effectiveness of value for money from financial advisers is through a process of competitive selection and effective management of advisers. To that end it advocates the use of Treasury Taskforce Technical Note No. 3.

  There is no need to set guidelines on the amortisation of leases because there are already nationally agreed accounting conventions dealing with the amortisation of finance leases.

Health

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is made to support children diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis with their schoolwork.

Peter Peacock: Local authorities have a duty to secure an adequate and efficient education for all children, including those with significant health difficulties. Provision will vary according to the assessed needs of the individual child.

Highlands and Islands

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the First Minister whether he will report on the first meeting of the reconvened Highlands and Islands Convention.

Donald Dewar: The first meeting of the refocused Convention of the Highlands and Islands was held on Monday 27 March in the Highland Council's headquarters, Inverness. The Convention, which comprised Scottish Ministers, local authorities, Local Enterprise Companies, Area Tourist Boards and other agencies and institutions, proved a good and positive forum for productive discussion on a range of matters of importance to the Highlands and Islands.

  Minutes of the meeting will be available on request from the Convention Secretariat in Meridian Court, Glasgow.

Holyrood Project

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution it anticipates the Scottish Parliament building as currently planned will make to Scotland’s architectural heritage.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive believes that the Parliament building should be a modern and operationally efficient building of the highest architectural merit that should both reflect and contribute to Scotland's architectural heritage.

Housing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the report of the Chartered Institute for Housing on the implementation and use of anti-social neighbour orders and, if so, whether the report highlights any difficulties with the use of these orders or recommends any changes to current procedures.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The report, entitled The Crime and Disorder Act 1998: The Use of section 23 evictions for anti-social behaviour , which also reports on the use of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, was received in March 2000. A copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Justice

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the treatment of persons who are alleged to have committed further offences while on bail.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 provides power for the courts to impose a heavier sentence on persons convicted of an offence committed while on bail.

Justice

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports of offences were referred to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Agency from Procurators Fiscal in Scotland in the last three years for which information is available broken down by Procurator Fiscal area, and what were the offences.

Colin Boyd QC: Figures for cases originally reported to Procurator Fiscal and referred to Reporters are given in the following table. It should be noted that these figures do not include cases in which there are multiple accused, some of whom were dealt with by the Procurator Fiscal and some by the Reporter. Nor do the figures show numbers of offences; they deal (as requested) with reports and some reports will have dealt with multiple offences. More detailed information is not available except at disproportionate cost.

  


Cases Referred 

  to Reporter

  

January 

  – December 1997

  

January 

  – December 1998

  

January 

  – December 1999

  



Aberdeen

  

25

  

18

  

46

  



Airdrie

  

115

  

54

  

43

  



Alloa

  

23

  

19

  

15

  



Arbroath

  

43

  

41

  

44

  



Ayr

  

127

  

86

  

53

  



Banff

  

6

  

12

  

13

  



Campbeltown

  

9

  

14

  

13

  



Cupar

  

64

  

69

  

36

  



Dingwall

  

17

  

20

  

11

  



Dornoch

  

5

  

1

  

0

  



Dumbarton

  

75

  

55

  

68

  



Dumfries

  

56

  

51

  

55

  



Dundee

  

95

  

85

  

117

  



Dunfermline

  

47

  

59

  

39

  



Dunoon

  

16

  

13

  

9

  



Duns

  

1

  

4

  

1

  



Edinburgh

  

356

  

291

  

245

  



Elgin

  

6

  

31

  

18

  



Falkirk

  

51

  

66

  

68

  



Forfar

  

13

  

16

  

13

  



Fort William

  

6

  

6

  

3

  



Glasgow

  

661

  

531

  

433

  



Greenock

  

86

  

39

  

25

  



Haddington

  

28

  

40

  

9

  



Hamilton

  

102

  

95

  

97

  



Inverness

  

37

  

60

  

40

  



Jedburgh

  

17

  

13

  

23

  



Kilmarnock

  

173

  

178

  

119

  



Kirkcaldy

  

109

  

164

  

92

  



Kirkcudbright

  

11

  

9

  

18

  



Kirkwall

  

35

  

26

  

25

  



Lanark

  

43

  

17

  

10

  



Lerwick

  

7

  

6

  

3

  



Linlithgow

  

98

  

90

  

44

  



Lochmaddy

  

4

  

3

  

0

  



Oban

  

13

  

14

  

6

  



Paisley

  

119

  

75

  

95

  



Peebles

  

0

  

0

  

1

  



Perth

  

22

  

31

  

35

  



Peterhead

  

12

  

6

  

2

  



Portree

  

3

  

1

  

3

  



Rothesay

  

14

  

4

  

1

  



Selkirk

  

17

  

19

  

12

  



Stirling

  

42

  

55

  

109

  



Stonehaven

  

84

  

61

  

60

  



Stornoway

  

17

  

4

  

8

  



Stranraer

  

12

  

8

  

27

  



Tain

  

15

  

8

  

14

  



Wick

  

5

  

5

  

5

  



Total

  

2,942

  

2,573

  

2,226

Knowledge Economy

Allan Wilson (Cunninghame North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Scottish and UK e-envoys are collaborating on perceived areas of overlap in knowledge economy initiatives.

Henry McLeish: Scottish Executive Ministers and officials have met with the UK e-envoy, most recently at the Joint Ministerial Committee on the Knowledge Economy, to ensure effective communication and co-ordination of activity. The UK e-envoy will also be attending the next meeting of the committee when the discussions will be pursued.

  Scottish Enterprise expects shortly to appoint an e-commerce Director and he or she will have the task of championing e-commerce both within Scottish Enterprise and more widely.

Land

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to take any action regarding the proposed sale of the Black Cuillins on Skye.

Sarah Boyack: We do not propose to intervene in the private sale of the Cuillin Estate.

Local Government Elections

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the next local government elections will be held in the year 2002 and what electoral system will be used for these elections.

Mr Frank McAveety: We have recently consulted on the timing of local government elections and other matters as part of the Executive’s response to the McIntosh recommendations. The cross-party Renewing Local Democracy Working Group is also currently considering the most appropriate system for local government elections. This group is due to report in the spring. The timing of the next local government elections and the system by which councillors will be elected will be decided following our consideration of this consultation and the outcome of the Renewing Local Democracy Working Group.

Local Government Finance

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Aberdeenshire Council has received direct funding for use by voluntary drug and alcohol support groups.

Iain Gray: Aberdeenshire Council’s Grant Aided Expenditure allocation for social work in 2000-01 will be £39.118 million. It is for the council itself to determine its expenditure priorities and allocate resources accordingly.

Modernising Government

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a specific definition of "modernisation of government" and what performance measures it will use to determine whether its objective of modernising government is being achieved.

Mr Jack McConnell: In our Programme for Government , we said that we would work across the Executive to promote modern government. The main themes will be customer-focused policy development and service delivery, making best use of information technology, and revaluing public service. We will encourage working in partnership with other bodies, the best modern management development, and use feedback from the public to improve all we do.

  A programme of this breadth and variety does not easily lend itself to assessment using individual performance indicators. But the First Minister announced on 30 March his decision that the Executive’s target for delivery of 100% of its services electronically by 2008 was being brought forward to 2005. We will be setting further targets and deadlines for achievements, and in general we will look for growing public satisfaction with public services as a measure of effectiveness and quality, and lower transaction costs as a measure of efficiency.

NHS Trusts

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any reduction in NHS Trust management costs since May 1997.

Susan Deacon: Management cost percentages for all NHS Trusts for 1997-98 and 1998-99 were given in the answer to question S1W-1457. The management cost returns from NHS Trusts for 1999-2000 are required to be submitted to the Management Executive by 30 June 2000.

National Parks

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend its draft National Parks (Scotland) Bill to include a provision giving the Parliament specific power to amend all subordinate legislation which designates specific areas as National Parks, rather than providing for such subordinate legislation to take the form of an affirmative statutory instrument.

Sarah Boyack: Parliamentary procedures for subordinate legislation are a matter for the Parliament. The designation orders for National Parks will be based on proposals which will have gone through a wide publicity and consultation exercise, as provided for in the National Parks (Scotland) Bill. All comments received must be considered prior to Scottish Ministers preparing a designation order. Thereafter, the Parliament will have the opportunity to either accept or reject the designation order brought before it by Scottish Ministers.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide substantive answers to questions S1W-4449, S1W-4450 and S1W-4451 on Scottish trust ports, and why it has not answered them to date.

Sarah Boyack: These questions were answered on 23 March.

Planning

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its current integrated transport policies are material considerations in decisions on planning applications.

Sarah Boyack: There is no statutory definition of "material consideration" and it is ultimately for the courts to decide what is material. Government policy and guidance are, however, generally regarded as material in decisions on planning applications.

Public Appointments

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people who have been appointed to government or ministerial advisory groups or task forces since May 1997 are (a) under the age of 26 and (b) under the age of 30, and to which groups or task forces these appointments have been made.

Mr Jack McConnell: Appointments to task forces are made on the basis of relevant experience, knowledge and ability. Information on the age of appointees is not held centrally, although I am considering a register of younger appointees within the current consultation on modernising the system.

Public Services

Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government and local authorities about electronic delivery of public services.

Peter Peacock: Mr Jack McConnell met with Mo Mowlem, Minister for the Cabinet Office, earlier this year to discuss Modernising Government and electronic delivery of public services.

  Scottish Executive officials are in close and regular contact with the Cabinet Office, the Office of the e-Envoy, and other UK departments on this issue.

  Meetings are also taking place with local authority representatives to discuss how electronic delivery of public services can be taken forward in the local authority sector.

Rail Network

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3358 by Sarah Boyack on 25 February 2000, whether it will give any support to the conducting of a feasibility study into the re-opening of the railway station at Beattock.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no plans to support a feasibility study into the re-opening of the railway station at Beattock.

Rail Network

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether in principle it supports or opposes the re-opening of Beattock railway station.

Sarah Boyack: Any consideration of the re-opening of a railway station at Beattock will have to be set against the Scottish Executive’s strategic priorities for Scotland’s railways. Once identified, these priorities will underpin the directions and guidance that will be issued to the Strategic Rail Authority for the franchise providing passenger railway services which begin and end in Scotland. It would then be for the train operating companies and Railtrack to ensure the availability of the necessary trains and infrastructure to meet the terms of the franchise.

Rail Network

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what factors it will take into account in assessing the needs of travellers in the South of Scotland when issuing directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority for the franchise providing passenger rail services which begin and end in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive’s strategic priorities for Scotland’s railways will take account of the needs of travellers in the South of Scotland and elsewhere in the country. A range of factors will be considered, including opportunities for improving capacity, journey times and punctuality. These priorities will underpin the directions and guidance that will be issued to the Strategic Rail Authority for the franchise providing passenger railway services which begin and end in Scotland.

Rail Network

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what factors it will take into account in assessing the needs of travellers in the South of Scotland when making recommendations to the Strategic Rail Authority for the franchises providing passenger rail services in Scotland which do not both begin and end in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive’s strategic priorities for Scotland’s railways will take account of the needs of travellers in the South of Scotland and elsewhere in the country. A range of factors will be considered, including opportunities for improving capacity, journey times and punctuality. These priorities will underpin the advice that will be issued to the Strategic Rail Authority for the franchises providing daytime cross-border passenger railway services.

Roads

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposals by Midlothian Council for the A701 approved by the Minister for Transport and the Environment, were verified as being the same as those presented to the public for consultation prior to approval by Midlothian Council on 14 September 1999.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline each difference between the A701 project presented to and approved by Ministers and earlier project details presented to the public for consultation as part of the statutory planning process.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does not have details of documents presented to the public at stages prior to their submission to the Scottish Ministers.

Roads

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the approved structure and local plans for Midlothian covering the A701 corridor predate its current integrated transport policies and how those plans reflect its current transport policies.

Sarah Boyack: The approved structure plan and the adopted local plans for Midlothian predate National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 17: Transport and Planning. The transport policies in the structure plan are considered to be generally in line with the policies in the NPPG.

Roads

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the numerous objections to the A701 proposals and the proposals’ relationship to its wider planning policies relating to the protection of the environment were not considered sufficient material considerations to influence the decision not to hold a public inquiry on the A701 proposals.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Ministers gave careful consideration to all material considerations. They were not, however, considered sufficient to outweigh the policies in the statutory development plan.

Roads

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any statutory or legal obligation on Midlothian Council to implement the Minister for Transport and the Environment’s recommendations regarding the package of sustainable transport measures which form part of proposals for the A701 and what the nature is of any such obligations.

Sarah Boyack: Implementation of the planning permission is a matter for Midlothian Council.

Roads

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the A8000 has not been designated a trunk road.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the A8000 meets all the criteria required to be a trunk road.

Sarah Boyack: I refer Lord James to the answer I gave to question S1W-4553 on 13 March 2000.

Roads

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the next trunk roads review will take place.

Sarah Boyack: I refer Lord James to the answer I gave to question S1W-2873 on 13 January 2000.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has the powers to allow Initiative At the Edge funding to be used to effect the improvements and upgrading required to the Drynie Hill Section of the A861 from Kinlochmoidart to Carnoch.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: The maintenance and improvement of local roads such as the Drynie Hill section of the A861 from Kinlochmoidart to Carnoch is the responsibility of Highland Council as the local roads authority. The council is a key partner in the Initiative at the Edge and there is a general expectation on all the partners that they will attach additional priority to areas which are covered by the Initiative. Final decisions on the allocation of funding, however, remain a matter for individual partners.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the case for European transitional funding to be used to upgrade the Drynie Hill section of the A861 from Kinlochmoidart to Carnoch and whether it will make a statement explaining its position.

Sarah Boyack: The improvement of this section of the A861 is entirely a matter for Highland Council as the local roads authority. As regards the use of European transitional funding, the special programme for the Highlands and Islands is currently being considered by the European Commission. Whilst support for infrastructure is envisaged, projects will require to demonstrate that they relieve significant constraints to economic development and that they feature amongst priorities established by the Highlands & Islands Partnership Programme.

Schools

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Children and Education has any plans to visit Bell Baxter High School in Cupar, Fife.

Mr Sam Galbraith: I have no such plans.

Seal Population

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce contraceptive measures to the Scottish seal population to control the current high level of seal numbers which is affecting Scottish fisheries.

Mr John Home Robertson: There are at present no plans to introduce contraceptive measures to control the Scottish seal population but the Scottish Executive will continue to assess the potential of any such measures on an ongoing basis.

  In 1998, the Executive asked the Special Committee on Seals (SCOS) of the Natural Environment Research Council to assess whether contraceptive sterilisation of seals might be feasible to stabilise or reduce Scottish grey seal numbers. Canadian research had proved that a viable sterilisation method was available.

  On the basis of advice provided by SCOS it was concluded that there would be considerable practical and financial problems involved in attempting a successful sterilisation programme using this method in Scotland. Scottish seal populations are more scattered and more wary of humans than in Canada. In order to stabilise the grey seal population at its 1997 level of 95,000, it was estimated that a total of 14,000 adult females would need to be sterilised in the first year, with gradually reducing annual numbers thereafter reaching 3,000 after some seven years. In order to reduce the seal population below this level, much greater numbers of seals would need to be sterilised. In the meantime the existing population would, of course, continue to eat fish.

Section 2A

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what account it will take of the outcome of the proposed private referendum regarding the repeal of section 2A of the Local Government Act 1986.

Mr Frank McAveety: The debates on the proposal to repeal section 2A as part of our consideration of the Ethical Standards Bill will be informed by a wide range of views, comments and representations from people throughout Scotland. It then falls to members of this Parliament to take the decision.

Task Forces

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many task forces it (a) inherited on 1 July 1999 and (b) has set up since 1 July 1999 and what the annual administrative cost of supporting each of these task forces is.

Mr Jack McConnell: Five task forces were in operation prior to July 1999, two of which have since ceased. Five task forces have been established since July 1999.

  Task forces vary considerably, for example with respect to their life-span, membership and frequency of meetings. Administration costs are generally low and are in many cases subsumed in the administrative budgets of the relevant policy areas within the Executive.

Tourism

Allan Wilson (Cunninghame North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the role of tourist centres will develop in the light of the current tourism strategy for Scotland.

Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for the local Area Tourist Boards. The position will be kept under review in the light of information and communication technology developments.

Tourism

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance it makes available to organisations such as the Burns Federation whose activities include the promotion of cultural tourism in South West Scotland.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive makes no direct financial contribution to organisations such as the Burns Federation. Promotion of cultural tourism in South West Scotland falls under the remit of the local tourist boards, Dumfries and Galloway Council and Enterprise Ayrshire.

Transport

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the arrangements are for monitoring levels of cycling in Scotland and how it is evaluating progress in meeting the targets set out in the national cycling strategy.

Sarah Boyack: The UK National Travel Survey and the Scottish Household Survey will be used as the basis for monitoring and evaluating progress in meeting the targets set out in the National Cycling Strategy.

Transport

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure the future of Wick Airport by bringing the runway up to the required standard.

Sarah Boyack: Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), which operates Wick Airport, is giving its highest priority to making preparations for the resurfacing of the main runway at the airport.

Village Halls

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of the recent increase in water charges, it will renegotiate the five year phasing-in of the removal of reliefs for village and community halls agreed with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations last summer.

Sarah Boyack: Village and community halls   are not among the premises whose relief from water and sewerage charges is being withdrawn over the period 2000-01 to 2004-05. Accordingly, they were not covered by last year's agreement with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.

Water Charges

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a rebate or relief scheme this year for those on low incomes who are liable for water charges.

Sarah Boyack: The arrangements linking water and sewerage charges to council tax bands already provide substantial assistance to many less well-off households. The Executive is considering whether it is possible to improve on the protection provided by these arrangements. Any new measures would be introduced in 2001-02.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is considering a private finance package to complete the Holyrood project.

Sir David Steel: With the approval of Parliament and the co-operation of the Scottish Executive, the SPCB intends to complete the Holyrood project by conventional public funding arrangements for major Scottish capital projects, from money assigned to Scotland in the "Scottish Block".